Feed and food official laboratories

In the UK, official feed and food laboratories are Public and Agricultural Analysts and Food Examiners (microbiology laboratories) that undertake work for local authorities for enforcement purposes. Other designated laboratories undertake official controls in specified areas for monitoring purposes.

All official laboratories must employ suitably qualified staff. Laboratories undertaking enforcement work for local authorities must have a Public or Agricultural Analyst (formally appointed by a local authority) or a qualified Food Examiner.

We are responsible for designating the majority of official laboratories in the UK according to the National Control Plan, as required by Official Feed and Food Control Regulations 2017/625. We do not own or operate any of these laboratories.

OLs which NI Competent Authorities use for the analysis of official control food and feed samples must be located in NI or within an EU Member State (MS) or third country that is a Contracting Party to the Agreement on the European Economic Area(EEA).

The Public Analysts and Food Examiners designated for NI are appointed under national law, The Food Safety (Northern Ireland) Order 1991 (Opens in a new window), therefore there is no change required regarding these designations.

England, Northern Ireland and Wales

PDF

View Multi-Annual National Control Plan for the United Kingdom April 2019 to March 2023 (updated December 2019) as PDF(Open in a new window) (1.65 MB)

Any questions should be directed to the laboratory itself.

Official Laboratories for GB (enforcement)

Key of analyst types:

• Agricultural Analyst - AA
• Public Analyst – PA
• Food Examiner - FE

Aberdeen Scientific Services Laboratory (Opens in a new window) (AA PA FE)
Operations and Protective Services
Aberdeen City Council
James Hutton Institute Building
Craigiebuckler
Aberdeen 
AB15 8QH
tel: 01224 764720
email: ASSL@aberdeencity.gov.uk

Edinburgh Scientific Services (Opens in a new window) (AA PA FE)
City of Edinburgh Council
4 Marine Esplanade
Edinburgh 
Scotland
EH6 7LU
tel: 0131 555 7980
email: scientific.services@edinburgh.gov.uk

Glasgow Scientific Services (Opens in a new window) (AA PA FE)
Glasgow City Council
Colston Laboratory
64 Everard Drive, Glasgow
Scotland
G21 1XG
tel: 0141 276 0610
email: GSS@glasgow.gov.uk

Hampshire Scientific Services (Opens in a new window) (AA PA FE)
Hyde Park Road
Southsea,
Hampshire
England
PO5 4LL
tel: 023 9282 9501
email: hss@hants.gov.uk

Kent Scientific Services (Opens in a new window) (AA PA)
8 Abbey Wood Road, Kings Hill
West Malling
Kent
England
ME19 6YT
tel: 03000 415100
email: kss@kent.gov.uk

Lancashire County Scientific Services (Opens in a new window) (AA PA FE)
Pedders Way
Preston Riversway Docklands
Preston
England
PR2 2TX
tel: 01772 721660
email: scientificservices@lancashire.gov.uk

Minton, Treharne & Davies Ltd (Opens in a new window) (AA PA)
Forest Farm Industrial Estate
Longwood Drive
Whitchurch
Cardiff
CF14 7HY
tel: +44 (0)2920 540 000
email: enquiries@minton.group

Public Analyst Scientific Services Ltd (PASS) (Opens in a new window) (AA PA FE)
i54 Business Park
Valiant Way
Wolverhampton,
England
WV9 5GB
tel: 01902 627241
email: info@publicanalystservices.co.uk

Tayside Scientific Services (Opens in a new window) (AA PA FE)
Dundee City Council
James Lindsay Place, Dundee Technopole
Dundee
Scotland
DD1 5JJ
tel: 01382 307170
mail: scientific.services@dundeecity.gov.uk

UK Health Service Agency (UKHSA)

Food Water and Environmental Laboratories (FWE) (Opens in a new window)

FWEM Network London Laboratory (FE)
61 Colindale Avenue, London
England
NW9 5EQ
tel: 0208 327 6550/6548/6551
email: FWEM@ukhsa.gov.uk

FWEM Laboratory, Porton (FE)
Salisbury
Wiltshire
England
SP4 0JG
tel: 01980 616766
email: FWEPorton@ukhsa.gov.uk

FWEM Laboratory, York (FE)
The Food and Environmental Research Agency (Fera Science)
Sand Hutton
York
England
YO41 1LZ
tel: 01904 468948
email: YorkFWELab@ukhsa.gov.uk

Public Health Wales (PHW)

Microbiology Bangor (FE)
Ysbyty Gwynedd,
Bangor,
Gwynedd
Wales
LL57 2PW
tel: 01248 384718

Microbiology Cardiff (FE)
Llandough Hospital
Penlan Road,
Penarth
Wales
CF64 2XX
tel: 029 20716745

Microbiology Carmarthenshire (FE)
Glangwili General Hospital
Carmarthen
Wales
SA31 2AF
tel: 01267 237271

Official Laboratories for Northern Ireland (enforcement)

Eurofins Analytics (Nantes)
Rue Pierre Adolphe Bobierre
44323 Nantes,
France
tel: +33 2 51 83 21 00
email: AnalyticsFrance@eurofins.com

Eurofins Analytik GmbH
Neuländer Kamp 1 
21079 Hamburg
Germany
tel: +49 40 49 294 1770
email: analytik@eurofins.de

Eurofins Laboratoire Coeur De France
Boulevard de Nomazy
03017 Moulins
France
tel: +33 4 70 47 71 00
email: ecdf@eurofins.com

Eurofins Food Testing Ireland Ltd (PA AA)
Unit D13, North City Business Park,
North Road, Finglas, Co. Dublin 11, Ireland
tel: 01902 627200
email: info@publicanalystservices.co.uk

Eurofins GeneScan GmbH,
Engesserstrasse 4
79108 Freiburg
Germany
tel: +49 761 50 38 10 0
email: GeneScan@eurofins.de

Eurofins WEJ Contaminants GmbH
Neuländer Kamp 1
21079 Hamburg
Germany
tel: +49 40 49 29 42222
email: wej-contaminants@eurofins.de

Northern Ireland Public Health Laboratory (FE)
Belfast City Hospital,
Lisburn Road Belfast
Northern Ireland
BT9 7AD
tel: 028 9504 1243
email: DL-BLL-NIPHL@belfasttrust.hscni.net

Austrian Agency for Health and Food Safety (AGES) (for high priority samples only)
AGES - Institute for Food Safety Vienna,
Department for Molecular Biology and Microbiology
Spargelfeldstr. 191
1220 Vienna Austria
tel: +43 (0)5 0555-32201
www.ages.at (Opens in a new window)

Eurofins GfA Lab Service GmbH,
Neuländer Kamp 1a
21079 Hamburg, Germany
tel: +49 (0)40 492 94-5050
email: dioxins@eurofins.de

Eurofins Steins Laboratory,
DK-6600,
Vejen, Denmark
email: steins@eurofins.dk

Other official laboratories (monitoring)

Other official laboratories for specific areas of work as defined in the UK National Control Plan.

Shellfish

Laboratories testing for marine biotoxins in live bivalve molluscs

England and Wales

The Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science (CEFAS) (Opens in a new window)
Weymouth laboratory
Barrack Rd
Weymouth
Dorset
DT4 8UB
tel: 01305 206600

Agri-Food and Bioscience Institute (AFBI) (Opens in a new window)
Stormont, Stoney Road
Belfast
BT4 3SD
tel: 028 90 525785
email: info@afbini.gov.uk

(This also applies to Scotland)

Northern Ireland

Agri-Food and Bioscience Institute (AFBI) (Opens in a new window)
Stormont, Stoney Road
Belfast
BT4 3SD
tel: 028 90 525785
email: info@afbini.gov.uk

Laboratories testing for plankton in shellfish production and relaying areas

England and Wales

The Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science (CEFAS) (Opens in a new window)
Pakefield Rd
Lowestoft
Suffolk
NR33 0HT
tel: 01502 562244

Agri-Food and Bioscience Institute (AFBI) (Opens in a new window)
Newforge Lane
Belfast
BT9 5PX
tel: 028 90255636
(This also applies to Scotland)

Northern Ireland

Agri-Food and Bioscience Institute (AFBI) (Opens in a new window)
Newforge Lane
Belfast
BT9 5PX
tel: 028 90255636

Scotland

The Scottish Association of Marine Science (SAMS) (Opens in a new window)
SAMS Research Services Ltd
Scottish Marine Institute, Oban
Argyll
PA37 1QA
tel: 01631 559000 

Laboratories monitoring chemical contaminants in shellfish

England and Wales

Food and Environment Research Agency (FERA) (Opens in a new window)
Sand Hutton
York
YO41 1LZ
tel: 0300 100 0321

Agri-Food and Bioscience Institute (AFBI) (Opens in a new window)
Stormont, Stoney Road
Belfast
BT4 3SD
tel: 028 90 525785
email: info@afbini.gov.uk
(This also applies to Scotland)

Northern Ireland

Agri-Food and Bioscience Institute (AFBI) (Opens in a new window)
Stormont, Stoney Road
Belfast
BT4 3SD
tel: 028 90 525785
email: info@afbini.gov.uk

Laboratories monitoring Escherichia coli in shellfish

England

FWEM Network London Laboratory
61 Colindale Avenue, London 
England
NW9 5EQ
tel: 0208 327 65500/49
email: FWEM@ukhsa.gov.uk

FWEM Laboratory, Porton
Salisbury
Wiltshire
England
SP4 0JG
tel: 01980 616766
email: FWEPorton@ukhsa.gov.uk

FWEM Laboratory, York
The Food and Environmental Research Agency (Fera Science)
Sand Hutton, York 
England
YO41 1LZ
tel: 01904 468948
email: YorkFWELab@ukhsa.gov.uk

Guernsey States Analytical Laboratory
Longue Rue
St. Martin's
Guernsey
GY4 6LD

Wales

Microbiology Bangor
Ysbyty Gwynedd
Bangor,
Gwynedd
Wales
LL57 2PW
tel: 01248 384718

Microbiology Carmarthenshire 
Glangwili General Hospital
Carmarthen
Wales
SA31 2AF
tel: 01267 237271

England and Wales

The Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science (CEFAS) (Opens in a new window)
Weymouth laboratory
Barrack Rd
Weymouth
Dorset
DT4 8UB
tel: 01305 206600

Northern Ireland

Northern Ireland Public Health Laboratory 
Belfast City Hospital,
Lisburn Road
Belfast
Northern Ireland
BT9 7AD
tel: 028 90263588
email: DL-BLL-NIPHL@belfasttrust.hscni.net

Scotland

Cefas Weymouth Laboratory (mainland and Western Isles)
SSQC (Shetland Seafood Quality Control) (Shetland and Orkney only)
Port Arthur, Scalloway
Shetland
ZE1 0UN
tel: 01595 772441

This laboratory may also undertake testing of samples of shellfish at our request for Salmonella spp. (excluding Salmonella Typhi) and Vibrio spp. (restricted to Vibrio parahaemolyticus).

Raw cows' drinking milk

England and Wales

FWEM Laboratory, Porton (FE)
Salisbury
Wiltshire
England
SP4 0JG
tel: 01980 616766
email: FWEPorton@ukhsa.gov.uk

FWEM Laboratory, York (FE)
The Food and Environmental Research Agency (Fera Science)
Sand Hutton,
York
England
YO41 1LZ
tel: 01904 468948
email: YorkFWELab@ukhsa.gov.uk

Laboratories analysing milk and milk products

England, Scotland, and Wales

Agri-Food and Bioscience Institute (AFBI) (Opens in a new window)
Newforge Lane
Belfast
BT9 5PX
tel: 028 90255636

Laboratories monitoring feed samples

England, Scotland, and Wales

Agri-Food and Bioscience Institute (AFBI) (Opens in a new window)
Stormont, Stoney Road
Belfast
BT4 3SD
tel: 028 90 525785
email: info@afbini.gov.uk

Laboratories monitoring Trichinella parasites in farmed animals

England, Scotland, and Wales

Biobest Laboratories Ltd. (Opens in a new window)
6 Charles Darwin Rise
The Edinburgh Technopole
Milton Bridge
Nr. Penicuik
H26 OPY
tel: 0131 4402628

Laboratories monitoring Trichinella parasites in wild boar

England and Wales

Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) (Opens in a new window)
Sand Hutton
York
YO41 1LZ
Tel: 01904 462000 

Laboratories monitoring Trichinella parasites in Northern Ireland

Agri-Food and Bioscience Institute (AFBI) (Opens in a new window)
Stormont, Stoney Road
Belfast
BT4 3SD
tel: 028 90 525785
email: info@afbini.gov.uk

Other specified laboratories testing Trichinella parasites

Trichinella official laboratories are designated by FSA and operate for the sole purpose of trichinella testing in meat using permitted official testing methods, under a derogation from mandatory accreditation requirements in Retained Official Control Regulations (OCR) 2017/625 (Opens in a new window)(Article 40).

These laboratories are under the supervision of the UK National Reference Laboratory for Parasites (Trichinella and Echinococcus), designated by the FSA and Food Standards Scotland (FSS).

Trichinella official laboratories in Northern Ireland will also be under the supervision of the NI National Reference Laboratory for Parasites (Trichinella, Echinoccus and Anisakis), when designated by the FSA, to cover NI interests (under requirements in the Northern Ireland Protocol (Opens in a new window)).

England

Agri-Food and Bioscience Institute (AFBI) (Opens in a new window)
Stormont, Stoney Road
Belfast
BT4 3SD
tel: 028 90 525785
email: info@afbini.gov.uk

C&K Meats (Opens in a new window)
Mid Suffolk Business Park 
Pot Ash Lane, Eye
Suffolk
IP23 7HE

Cranswick Country Foods PLC (Opens in a new window)
Staithes Road
Preston, Hull
HU12 8TB

Cranswick Country Foods Ltd. 
Brandon Road
Watton,
Norfolk
IP25 6LW

Dalehead Foods
Fulney Lane 
Spalding
PE12 6EP

Karro Food Group Ltd. (Opens in a new window)
Hugden Way 
Malton 
YO17 6HG 

Woodhead Bros Meat Co. 
The Abattoir, Junction Street
Whitewalls Industrial Estate
Colne
BB8 8LH

Scotland

Quality Pork Ltd 
Brechin
Scotland
DD9 7PL

Northern Ireland

Karro Food Group Ltd. (Opens in a new window)
70 Molesworth Road
Cookstown
BT80 8PJ

William Grant & Co. Ltd. 
16 Coney Road
Londonderry
BT48 8JP

Other specified official laboratories in Northern Ireland

Laboratories analysing milk and milk products

Agri-Food and Bioscience Institute (AFBI) (Opens in a new window)
Newforge Lane
Belfast
BT9 5PX
tel: 028 90255636

Laboratories monitoring feed samples

Agri-Food and Bioscience Institute (AFBI) (Opens in a new window)
Stormont, Stoney Road
Belfast
BT4 3SD
tel: 028 90 525785
email: info@afbini.gov.uk

Laboratories monitoring dioxins and PCBs in food and feed

Eurofins Lab Zeeuws-Vlaanderen (LZV) B.V
Zandbergsestratt 1, 
4569 TC Graauw, 
The Netherlands
tel: +31 (0) 114 347 853
email: QHSE@eurofins.com

Laboratories monitoring antimicrobial resistance (AMR)

Agri-Food and Bioscience Institute (AFBI) (Opens in a new window)
Stormont, Stoney Road
Belfast
BT4 3SD
tel: 028 90 525785
email: info@afbini.gov.uk

Agri-Food and Bioscience Institute (AFBI) (Opens in a new window)
Newforge Lane
Belfast
BT9 5PX
tel: 028 90255636

Laboratories monitoring additives - colours (water soluble artificial colours) 

Public Analysts Laboratory
St. Finbarr's Hospital
Douglas Road
Ballinlough
Cork, Republic of Ireland